Masala Dosa Recipe : South Indian King of Dosas!

Masala Dosa

• Author: Karishma Shah
• Recipe Category: South Indian
• Cuisine: Indian
• Serves: 6

Description: The traditional dish of Masala Dosa having spicy potato filling is tagged “king of all Dosa’s”. The spicy Masala Dosa is considered Best in South India

Ingredients for Masala Dosa Recipe:

To make the Restaurant style Masala Dosa, you would the rice and lentils. For the potato stuffing, you will require potatoes with some veggies and spices.

For Masala Dosa:

• Grain Rice – 2 cups (short grains)
• Husked Black Lentils (Urad Dal) – ½ cup (split)
• Bengal Gram (Chana Dal) – 1 tsp. (split)
• Fenugreek Seeds – 1 tsp.
• Salt – as per taste
• Water :

• For Soaking Husked Black Lentils – 1 cup
• For Soaking Rice – 2 cups
• For Grinding Husked Black Lentils – ½ cup
• For Grinding Rice -1 cups

Note: You can use Idli Rice as well. You also add ¼ cup of flattened rice for softness.

For Masala Dosa Mixture:

• Mustard Seeds – 1 tsp.
• Cumin Seeds – ½ tsp.
• Red Chili Powder – 1 tsp.
• Masala Powder – 1 tsp.
• Turmeric Powder – 1 tsp.
• Cumin Powder – 1 tsp.
• Asafoetida – 1 stick
• Bell Peppers – 1 cup (finely chopped)
• Onion – 1 medium sized  (finely chopped)
• Tomato –  ½  cup
• Potato – 2 cups
• Coriander Leaves – ¼ cup
• Curry Leaves – 8 curry leaves
• Cilantro Leaves – ½ cup
• Split Bengal Gram (Chana Dal) – 1 tbsp.
• Tender Stem – ½ cup
• Garlic – 4 pieces
• Ginger – 1 tbsp.
• Sugar – ¼ tsp.
• Salt – as per taste
• Green Chilies – 2 pieces (thin sliced)
• Lemon Juice – ¼ tsp.
• Ghee/ Oil – 3 tbsp.
• Hot Water:

• For Soaking Chana Dal – ½ cup
• For Boiling Potatoes – 2 cups

Note: It is advisable to use Red Pepper. You can also add cashews if you want. The addition of Asafoetida can be skipped. Use Saffola oil if you are using oil in cooking. Otherwise you patanjali’s cow ghee.

Making Of Masala Dosa Recipe:

The restaurant style preparation of Masala Dosa is divided into three main sections. The first is to make the dosa batter. Then you have to prepare the potato filling. Finally, you can cook the dosa and stuff the potato mixture in it.

Preparing Masala Dosa Batter:

To prepare the batter, you must soak the rice and lentils. After soaking them, you must grind them and mix the individual mixtures.

Soaking the Lentils and Rice

• Take two bowls.
• In the first bowl add the 2 cups of grain rice.
• In another bowl add Black Lentils and Bengal Gram.
• Also, add the ½ tsp. Fenugreek in the bowl of lentils.
• Rinse the ingredients in these bowls properly.
• Wash them twice or thrice with cold and fresh water.
• Cover them with water more than half of their quantity.
• Soak the ingredients for minimum 6 hours.

Grinding the Lentils and Rice

• Now, take two colanders, and separately drain the water.
• Discard the water from the soaked rice.
• Keep the drained water from the mixture of Lentils-Fenugreek.
• In a food processor, process the rice for 10 minutes.
• Grind it to a coarse consistency and grainy paste.
• Once done with rice, transfer it to the bowl.
• Take the grinder, clean it properly and lentils.
• Grind this lentil and fenugreek mixture.
• Make it a smooth and fine paste.
• Add water in between for the smoothness.
• Once grinder, take it out to the bowl of rice paste.

Make the Masala Dosa Batter:

• Mix the two paste formed in this bowl.
• Whisk everything well with each other.
• Add a pinch of salt and stir well.
• The salt would balance the taste of the batter.
• The batter prepared should be thick.
• Cover the bowl of batter and keep it aside.
• Let it ferment till the surface shows bubbles.

Note: Keep adding water to make batter thinner. To achieve the correct texture, ferment the batter for more than 8 hours. It is preferred to keep the batter overnight for proper fermentation. It will give the vital sourness required for the flavor.

Making Masala Dosa Mixture:

Before we cook the dosa, first we have to make the potato filling for our Dosa.

Boil the Potatoes:

• Take the 2 cups of potatoes.
• Wash them properly.
• Add 2 cups of water in pressure cooker.
• Boil the water on the medium flame.
• Keep the washed potatoes to boil.
• Cover the lid and wait for 5 to 6 whistles.
• While potatoes are cooking, do the other tasks.

Note: You can boil the potatoes in the pan or the pot as well.

Soak the Chana Dal:

• Take ½ cup of hot water.
• If the water is not hot, then warm it.
• Soak the 1 tbsp. of Chana dal in it.
• Keep it soaked for 30 to 35 minutes.
• Strain the lentils and drain the water.
• Keep the Chana Dal aside in a bowl.

Mash the Potatoes:

• After some time, check the pressure cooker.
• If the pressure has settled down, remove the lid.
• Drain the water from the soaked potatoes.
• The potatoes have to be cooked properly.
• Keep them in a large bowl or plate.
• Let them become cool and come at room temperature.
• When they become touchable, peel off their skin.
• Chop them or mash the potatoes.
• Keep the bowl of mashed potatoes aside.

Make Potato Mixture:

• Now, take the onions, green chilies, tomatoes and coriander leaves.
• Wash them, clean and chop these ingredients.
• Then, over a low flame, heat ghee in a pan.
• When the oil is sufficiently heated, add the mustard seeds.
• Wait till they crackle or pop.
• Then add the cumin seeds.
• Let them splutter in the hot oil.
• Then add the Chana Dal in the pan.
• Saute the soaked Chana Dal till it becomes golden.
• Once the Dal is roasted, add the chopped onions.
• Fry the onions till they become translucent.
• Now, add the curry leaves and let it fry as well.
• Stir a bit and add the ginger with garlic cloves.
• Stir well till onions change color to brown.
• Then add the peppers and the chopped green chilies.
• Season the mixture with the various spice powders.
• Add the turmeric powder.
• Add the masala powder.
• Add the cumin powder.
• Add the red chilli powder.
• Add a pinch of salt and Asafoetida.
• Stir and mix everything well.
• Add the chopped tender stem as well.
• Lastly, put some curry leaves for enhancing the taste.
• Mix the chopped tomatoes and stir everything.
• Turn the flame high and add mashed potatoes.
• Add water and stir well.
• Combine the ingredients evenly.
• Add chopped cilantro leaves.
• Check the taste and add salt if required.
• If you like the sweet taste, then you may also try adding sugar.
• Sprinkle some chopped coriander leaves.
• Turn off the flame and let the mixture cool.
• Transfer it from the pan to the bowl.

Note: If you are using cashews, then fry them in the ghee before adding to the mixture.

Cooking Masala Dosa:

• Take the Dosa batter and stir it once.
• Now, keep a non-stick pan on the stove.
• Switch on the stove and heat the pan over the low flame.
• Apply oil with a light hand over the entire pan.
• Take a scoop of batter and ladle in the center of the pan.
• From the center make the round shape of the batter.
• Spread the batter evenly over the entire pan.
• Drip few oil drops over the batter.
• Apply some drops on the edges of the batter as well.
• The edges of the Masala Dosa should be well-cooked.
• The base of the Masala Dosa must be crispy and crunchy.
• Cover the lid of the pan and cook the Dosa.
• Eventually, the batter would change color to brown.
• Now uncover the pan, and flip the side of Dosa.
• This would be the inner side where the filling will reside.
• Keep the filling in the center of the batter.
• Flatten it with the spoon to evenly spread it over the batter.
• Fold the sides of the Masala Dosa and cover the filling.
• Let the base become golden.
• Cook till the Dosa is evenly cooked from all sides.
• Transfer the ready dosa to the plate and serve.
• Now, take another scoop of the batter and repeat the same steps.
• Follow the same process till you have made all the Dosa’s.

And the spicy Masala Dosa Recipe is ready to eat. Serve hot!

Note: You may use the griddle or cast-iron pans instead of a non-stick pan.

Additional Information:

• Calories: 387 calories
• Total Time: PT30M
• Date Published: 2016-07-16